The things you most need to see in the world’s largest religious complex

Angkor Archaeological Park (see map at right) comprises 12 main temples and scores of smaller structures, but the biggest and most important temple, the twelfth-century Angkor Wat, is the star due to its trove of art and immense size (an area of hundreds of acres, and a height of 700 feet at its tallest point). For an in-depth guide to the temple, pick up a copy of Focusing on the Angkor Temples: The Guidebook ($22), by Michel Petrotchenko, an expert who has visited the area more than 40 times in the past two decades (we’ve provided a cheat sheet here). A visit to Angkor Wat can be overwhelming, but as Petrotchenko explains, the key to fully appreciating it is in the details: “To add spice to your visit of the main temple, look for a particular scene in the bas-reliefs or a beautiful pediment or a devata (deity).”